Methodist Church Consecrates First Female Bishop In Nigeria

By Ayodele Oni

The Christendom in Nigeria has commenced a process of assigning more responsibilities to women as the Methodist Church Nigeria, on Sunday, enthroned its first female Bishop.

The new Cleric, Rt Rev. Nkechi Nwosu, will oversee Jos Diocese of Methodist Church.

In the past, even till now some Churches, mostly white garments, don’t allow women to go near the alter, described as sacred place.

Nwosu was enthroned by His Grace, Most Rev. Dr Joseph Nnonah, Archbishop of Kaduna at the Christ Methodist Cathedral, Jos.

The new Bishop in a brief interaction with newsmen revealed that “God is using what has happened in the Methodist Church, Nigeria to tell the whole world that the time to release women to fulfill their destiny has come.

She said that women and men needed to join hands to achieve the mandate of God.

“God knew that by creating only Adam, He will not be able to bring his heart’s desire, so He had to make the woman to complement him.

“So, for the word of God to reach the end of the world, man must put their hands together to serve God, irrespective of gender because God is a spirit.

“He is not a flesh, the flesh we are seeing is just for our comfort, as He said that everybody who believes in Him and is led by the spirit of God is the son of God.

“And so every child of God who is born again and dwell in the Holy Spirit is a son of God.

“And when men or women of God in charge of denominations understand this, I believe we will conquer more for the Lord than what we have done.”

On the 2023 general elections, Nwosu called on Nigerians to listen to the voice of God who knows the best leader for the country at this moment.

She added that God gave Nigerians conscience and power and that the power is in the Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

“We must all go out there and agree with God, listen to the spirit of God, and do what God said we should do.

“Do that so that God will use us and anybody He wants to put on that seat to restore Nigeria to a place of pride in Africa, and the world,” she added.

His Eminence, Dr Samuel Uche, Prelate Emeritus, Methodist Church Nigeria, during whose tenure Nwosu was elected bishop, said that God made all humans equal.

Uche said that Jesus Christ elevated the position of women by being born of a woman.

“So I believe there is no difference between a man and woman, after all, in Hebrew language, a man is a he man and a woman is she man, so we are all men.

“And moreover, in Methodist Church, we taught that people who have reached menopause, who are no longer childbearing can hold responsible office in the church, because they have the capacity.

“They have the ability, they are meticulous, resourceful, and spiritual.

“So we decided that we should have in Methodist Bishop a woman and I know that some time ago, the President of the British Church was a woman from Ireland.”